Thailand Trip - Suggestions needed

I’m planning to visit Thailand in the last week of January. I’m going there with my wife, so no bang-bang and we’ll be spending most of our time in Phuket and Pattaya. We’re planning to plan the trip on our own without going for MMT or any other packages. I’m looking for advice on the below things:

- Best way to cover Phi Phi islands, Krabi island and James bond island. Can all of these be covered in 1-2 days?
- Best place for tiger petting? Not tiger really, But tiger cubs.
- Any site offering deals for local activities in Thailand? Like we have Nearbuy in India. I know someone had posted a site in this forum on a similar thread some time back. Could not find it now.

Refer- I’m going there with my wife, so no bang-bang !Correction : No bang-bang outside.

Inputs from my side, though in hurry :-

Take Visa in advance from VFS Visa for Thailand. On-arrival visa process for Indians is cumbersome now (can take upto 3 hours) and there are some scams going on at Don Muang airport especially. (By govt officials only).

Dont book a package tour and book only flight from MMT/Gobibio.
And book 4+ star hotel if possible. Star rated hotels are cheaper in Thailand compared to India.

You can get things cheap and easy once you are there.

Do carry your Driving License to hire a scooter at cheap prices and explore on your own.

Refer- I’m going there with my wife, so no bang-bang !Correction : No bang-bang outside.

Inputs from my side, though in hurry :- # Take Visa in advance from VFS Visa for Thailand. On-arrival visa process for Indians is cumbersome now (can take upto 3 hours) and there are some scams going on at Don Muang airport especially. (By govt officials only).# Dont book a package tour and book only flight from MMT/Gobibio. And book 4+ star hotel if possible. Star rated hotels are cheaper in Thailand compared to India.# You can get things cheap and easy once you are there.# Do carry your Driving License to hire a scooter at cheap prices and explore on your own.

Refer- I’m going there with my wife, so no bang-bang !Correction : No bang-bang outside.

Inputs from my side, though in hurry :- # Take Visa in advance from VFS Visa for Thailand. On-arrival visa process for Indians is cumbersome now (can take upto 3 hours) and there are some scams going on at Don Muang airport especially. (By govt officials only).# Dont book a package tour and book only flight from MMT/Gobibio. And book 4+ star hotel if possible. Star rated hotels are cheaper in Thailand compared to India.# You can get things cheap and easy once you are there.# Do carry your Driving License to hire a scooter at cheap prices and explore on your own.

@prithvirao17 First of all, I don’t understand why you’d want to visit both Pattaya as well as Phuket in the same trip, especially since you are going with your wife. They both are quite different and are far apart from each other. I would recommend you to stick to Phuket and the nearby islands.

(1) Yes, all three islands you have mentioned could easily be visited over one or two days. I recommend taking a ferry/speedboat from Phuket to Phi Phi and then on to Krabi. If you are short on time then you can even visit the James Bond island on the same day.

(2) Tiger Kingdom in Phuket.

(3) Both Groupon and Ensogo got shut down recently and I am not aware of any other local deals site for Thailand.

Moreover, see the following threads where people have discussed Thailand trips.

Refer- I’m going there with my wife, so no bang-bang !Correction : No bang-bang outside.

Inputs from my side, though in hurry :- # Take Visa in advance from VFS Visa for Thailand. On-arrival visa process for Indians is cumbersome now (can take upto 3 hours) and there are some scams going on at Don Muang airport especially. (By govt officials only).# Dont book a package tour and book only flight from MMT/Gobibio. And book 4+ star hotel if possible. Star rated hotels are cheaper in Thailand compared to India.# You can get things cheap and easy once you are there.# Do carry your Driving License to hire a scooter at cheap prices and explore on your own.

@prithvirao17 First of all, I don’t understand why you’d want to visit both Pattaya as well as Phuket in the same trip, especially since you are going with your wife. They both are quite different and are far apart from each other. I would recommend you to stick to Phuket and the nearby islands.

(1) Yes, all three islands you have mentioned could easily be visited over one or two days. I recommend taking a ferry/speedboat from Phuket to Phi Phi and then on to Krabi. If you are short on time then you can even visit the James Bond island on the same day.

(2) Tiger Kingdom in Phuket.

(3) Both Groupon and Ensogo got shut down recently and I am not aware of any other local deals site for Thailand.

Moreover, see the following threads where people have discussed Thailand trips.

We like to explore places and it does not matter what we have there. We’re pretty broad minded and don’t mind going to some go-go bars (just to see though ). We also want to party a bit and check out some cabaret shows

I’ll be in Thailand for about 7 days. How many days will we need in each place?

We like to explore places and it does not matter what we have there. We’re pretty broad minded and don’t mind going to some go-go bars (just to see though ). We also want to party a bit and check out some cabaret shows

I’ll be in Thailand for about 7 days. How many days will we need in each place?

In that case, you can spend some time in Bangkok as well (Soi Cowboy is THE place for go-go bars). How much time you spend in Phuket, Pattaya, or Bangkok is a subjective matter, bro. Depends on your goals. I could spend all 7-days in the islands nearby Phuket if my intention is to unwind from the city life.

Thanks for the valuable inputs. I’m not planning to ride a scooter since i heard it might be risky and also that the public transport (tuk tuk/bus) is very cheap.

Tuk-Tuk is not cheap!
Its like a trendy ride and they charge as-much or even more than a Corolla cab.
Keep that in mind. + Cabs if going by meter are well worth it.

Public transport is ok but you will face some language problem in it. (Not too much though).

And Thailand is an absolutely fun-filled place. And its safe. Unlike India, you can roam around in the night. But do keep emergency numbers handy (in case).

Further, don’t forget to pick-up (yes pick-up) a Prepaid sim from Airport itself. They are free of charge and pre-activated. You just need to add some calling balance + data recharge. No ID proofs are required to buy a Tourist SIM in Thailand.

Tuk-Tuk is not cheap! It like a trendy ride and they charge as-much or even more than a Corolla cab.Keep that in mind. + Cabs if going by meter are well worth it.

Public transport is ok but you will face some language problem in it. (Not too much though).

And Thailand is an absolutely fun-filled place. And its safe. Unlike India, you can roam around in the night. But do keep emergency numbers handy (in case).

Further, don’t forget to pick-up (yes pick-up) a Prepaid sim from Airport itself. They are free of charge and pre-activated. You just need to add some calling balance + data recharge. No ID proofs are required to buy a Tourist SIM in Thailand.

Agree with @DealSeeker that you can check out some places in Bangkok. It has some great places to visit + shopping for your wife.

Thank you so much. I had no idea about the tuk tuk price. I was thinking it would be a bit on the lesser end.

Also, the SIM card thing i had read before. But will definitely make sure to get the Bolo card.

How good is sriracha tiger zoo? I’m an animal lover and i don’t want to see animals getting tortured or drugged. but my wife wants pictures with tiger cubs. So i have no option but to go for this or the tiger kingdom in phuket. I know the tiger kingdom has the option to click pics with tiger cubs for about 1300 THB. Is there something similar in sriracha tiger zoo? If yes, which place is better?

Thank you so much. I had no idea about the tuk tuk price. I was thinking it would be a bit on the lesser end.

Also, the SIM card thing i had read before. But will definitely make sure to get the Bolo card.

How good is sriracha tiger zoo? I’m an animal lover and i don’t want to see animals getting tortured or drugged. but my wife wants pictures with tiger cubs. So i have no option but to go for this or the tiger kingdom in phuket. I know the tiger kingdom has the option to click pics with tiger cubs for about 1300 THB. Is there something similar in sriracha tiger zoo? If yes, which place is better?

Oops. I am not an animal lover, I am an animal (goat) myself !

Sorry but I am not much into visiting such places, you should be heading over to Tripadvisor for the same. But do keep in mind you have to weed out fake reviews.
Additionally, do look for some good places to eat. You will find good Indian restaurants with Hindi speaking attendants. But I suggest you to do the HOMEWORK well in advance. Once you are there, it should be only bang-bang, lol, I meant only jam-jam!

And riding a scooter in Thailand is not risky. And nobody cares if you are carrying a license or not.
Further, helmets are also more of an accessory than a utility.

Gasoline is cheap. And the fun of riding your own (though rented) scooter to any part of the island is beyond cabs/tuk-tuk experiences.

You will find atleast 50% tourists on automatic scooters.
_____________
While in Bangkok, you need a cab/tuk-tuk.
Metro connectivity is not seamless in Bangkok yet and to switch between the various lines, you have to walk a lot at times and buy a separated token/pass for each line.

Sorry but I am not much into visiting such places, you should be heading over to Tripadvisor for the same. But do keep in mind you have to weed out fake reviews. :-? Additionally, do look for some good places to eat. You will find good Indian restaurants with Hindi speaking attendants. But I suggest you to do the HOMEWORK well in advance. Once you are there, it should be only bang-bang, lol, I meant only jam-jam!

And riding a scooter in Thailand is not risky. And nobody cares if you are carrying a license or not.Further, helmets are also more of an accessory than a utility.

Gasoline is cheap. And the fun of riding your own (though rented) scooter to any part of the island is beyond cabs/tuk-tuk experiences.

You will find atleast 50% tourists on automatic scooters. _____________While in Bangkok, you need a cab/tuk-tuk. Metro connectivity is not seamless in Bangkok yet and to switch between the various lines, you have to walk a lot at times and buy a separated token/pass for each line.

Point noted. I’ll definitely rent a vehicle on at least 1-2 days during the trip

About food, I don’t want to go all the way to Thailand and eat Indian food . I love Thai cuisine and street food.

One last thing, Any sites offering discounts on flights? I found hotels2thailand for discount on activities.

Point noted. I’ll definitely rent a vehicle on at least 1-2 days during the trip

About food, I don’t want to go all the way to Thailand and eat Indian food . I love Thai cuisine and street food.

One last thing, Any sites offering discounts on flights? I found hotels2thailand for discount on activities.

Discount on flights?
Depends on ongoing offers
Paytm was offering some flat cashback for international flights!
Else, Gocash+ can be burned fully for flight tickets.

Whatever you do and howsoever you book, dont forget to choose an air ticket that allows checked-in baggage too! (Dont go for handbag only fares).

@DealSeeker aka Dayal Sharma – the veg Pad-Thai they make is also made in FISHSAUCE.
Even omelettes had chicken in my island resort near Krabi.

Is fish sauce vegetarian?
You might think it’s gross, but you’ve probably eaten it if you’ve ever ordered a Thai curry in a non vegetarian Thai restaurant. Always ask beforehand if the curry pastes are made with shrimp paste. Most people know to ask for no fish sauce, but shrimp paste is still likely to be lurking.

…@DealSeekeraka Dayal Sharma the veg Pad-Thai they make is also made in FISHSAUCE. Even omelettes had chicken in my island resort near Krabi.

Is fish sauce vegetarian?You might think it’s gross, but you’ve probably eaten it if you’ve ever ordered a Thai curry in a non vegetarian Thai restaurant. Always ask beforehand if the curry pastes are made with shrimp paste. Most people know to ask for no fish sauce, but shrimp paste is still likely to be lurking.

Bhai, having lived for almost a decade in the US and because of my interest in food and nutrition, I am aware of all the hidden ways they sneak non-vegetarian things even in the vegetarian foods. So apart from compromising on my vegetarian dishes being cooked in the same unwashed utensils, I think I have done pretty well so far.

And, yes, I always ask for the presence of chicken/lard/fish in the broth used for cooking any noodles/rice dish.

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